One Piece: Live Action Review

You know a story is going to be good when a pirate captain starts his story on a sinking… boat. Much like Captain Jack Sparrow, Luffy starts his story in a sinking boat too but has infinite optimism for what looks like a spectacular journey. Today, we’re reviewing the live action adaptation of One Piece to see if it’s really worth the watch. I will preface this review with a spoiler warning for those who haven’t already watched the live action but I will try my best to limit the amount of spoilers that I include to the best of my ability. I swear any spoilers are unintentional (except for one)!

What excited me most about the live action One Piece was the sheer number of Easter eggs in the opening sequence alone which shows that this show won’t overlook even the smallest detail despite the fact that every detail of Oda-san’s universe can’t be explored fully. This version of the opening arc of One Piece feels far better paced than the anime (and believe me I’ve tried many times to watch the anime and just lost interest) and really helps the audience get absorbed in the story from the get go. I won’t say that I know everything about One Piece, far from it in fact, but I do know key things because I do like manga and anime and have read and watched plenty of both. While they have a lot of characters to introduce, introducing each pirate with their wanted poster and making nods to canon events that precede the story line is a clever way to show fans of the original anime and manga that the live action remake is an appreciative ode to the monster storyline and world building of the story material which, right now, is 106 volumes or 1091 chapters long (at the time of writing). However, it also allows first time viewers of the series to know who is who and roughly where they stand in the series without long winded expositions and allows the story to progress far quicker. This series has clearly been made with careful consideration to Oda’s work and the team have said repeatedly that they consulted with Oda through the entire filming process and it shows. The series is fast paced, entertaining and stacked with loveable characters and marvellous villains.

When it comes to casting, it really seems that the creators of the live action One Piece series were blessed with a cast that genuinely seems to adore the source material. So many fans have noticed that cast members share traits with the characters they portray and that is a sure sign that the casting team took their jobs very seriously. With Iñaki Godoy leading the cast as the happy go lucky Luffy and settling spectacularly well into the role; he really seems to embody the excitement and innocent wonder of Luffy on his journey to be King of the Pirates. He definitely is boisterous enough to act as Luffy very convincingly in the very best way. In Emily Rudd, we have a cunning and very savvy Nami who, throughout the 8 episodes, grows and becomes more trusting and, therefore, more trustworthy. I do have to give Emily and Iñaki major props for their superb performances [SPOILER ALERT] in the scene where Nami asks Luffy for help protecting and defending Coco Village from Arlong. [SPOILER ALERT ENDS] It could have been a scene that was overacted or undersold but I feel like it was well done and it helps Nami’s progression as a character and highlights exactly why her loyalties shift so much in favour of Luffy. Mekenyu as Roronoa Zoro was an inspired choice! With such a huge background in martial arts and acting, Mekenyu was bound to bring a real sense of poise and stoicism to Zoro while also nailing so much fight choreography. Mekenyu also absolutely nails the delivery of Zoro’s more unintentionally funny lines and, all of it together, makes Zoro one very loveable swordsman. Taz Skylar as Sanji Vinsmoke was a fantastic decision as Taz leans into a less sleazy version of Sanji while maintaining the ladies’ man vibe. In all honesty, I think this version of Sanji might just be better than the original slightly creepy Sanji from the anime. Taz also deserves some special recognition for his dedication to his role as some sources have pointed out that he learned how to cook and fight for the series and also performed quite a few of his own stunts. If that’s all accurate, colour me impressed. It also needs to be noted that the stunt team, choreographers and everyone involved in fight coordination deserve tremendous applause. Every fight is clearly well rehearsed and very well planned out. Jacob Gibson is both cowardly and courageous in equal measures as Usopp and really embodies Usopp’s character as a whole. The conflict between Usopp’s fear and tall tales and also his skill as a marksman make him a comedic character but knowing his tragic backstory means we, as the viewers, understand where Usopp is coming from and where he is aiming to go and I can’t wait to see Usopp develop further and finally have some real adventurous stories to share. Morgan Davies really sells the live action’s initial version of Koby and really shows Koby’s desire for the freedom to choose his own path and be a Marine. I can see Morgan really being able to convey Koby’s story so well and be the Marine he hoped he could be. Personally, I can’t sing the praises of this cast, both main and recurring characters alike, enough. I could go on for ages but it’s probably best to move on while the going is good.

With a guaranteed Season 2, One Piece’s live action version really seems to be reaching a whole new group of people and taking it’s new audience by storm considering it garnered nearly 40 million views in the space of two weeks while still being an enjoyable adventure for more seasoned One Piece fans. Eiichiro Oda has already implied that the second season, while not ready just yet and on hold due to SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes for better treatment (pay the people what they deserve, it’s not hard), could go into greater depth about Baroque Works and will follow the Going Merry crew’s search for a doctor who [SPOILER ALERT] is an adorable little reindeer by the name of Tony Tony Chopper who, according to some of the One Piece crew members, will be a challenge to create but a fun one at that.[SPOILER ALERT END] For now, all I can say is welcome to the One Piece nakama and I hope you enjoy the journey to find the One Piece. You can watch One Piece on Netflix right now!